NYC Food Protection Certificate Exam
UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions and
CORRECT Answers
All food service establishments must have - CORRECT ANSWER - a current and valid
permit issued by the NYC Health Department
When do Health Inspectors have the right to inspect a food service or food processing
establishment? - CORRECT ANSWER - as long as it is in operation
During an inspection, inspectors must be given access to - CORRECT ANSWER - all
areas of the food establishment
Who is required to have a Food Protection Certificate. - CORRECT ANSWER -
supervisors of all food service establishments
Food is defined as - CORRECT ANSWER - any edible substance, ice, beverage, or
ingredient intended for use and used or sold for human consumption.
Potentially Hazardous Food (PHF) refers to? - CORRECT ANSWER - Foods which
support rapid growth of microorganisms.
Examples of Potentially Hazardous Foods - CORRECT ANSWER - Examples: raw and
cooked meats, poultry, milk and milk products, fish, shellfish, tofu, cooked rice, pasta, beans,
potatoes, cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes and melons, garlic in oil etc. (Exceptions: Air-cooled
hard-boiled eggs with intact shell, beef jerky, cheese pizza, crispy bacon)
Not Potentially Hazardous prepared Foods - CORRECT ANSWER - Air-cooled hard-
boiled eggs with intact shell, beef jerky, cheese pizza, crispy bacon
,The Temperature Danger Zone - CORRECT ANSWER - 41°F and 140°F.
The three thermometers allowed to be used for measuring food temperatures: - CORRECT
ANSWER - Examples: Bi-metallic stem (range from 0°F to 220°F), thermocouple, and
thermistor (digital)
Glass Thermometers - CORRECT ANSWER - Kind of thermometer which are prohibited
by law in a food establishment.
Meat inspected by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture must have what? - CORRECT
ANSWER - must have a USDA inspection stamp.
Raw shell eggs must be stored at a minimum temperature of - CORRECT ANSWER -
45°F
Smoked fish must be held at - CORRECT ANSWER - 38°F or below
Smoked fish held above what temperature causes the growth of which kind of bacteria -
CORRECT ANSWER - 38°F causes growth of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.
All refrigerated food must be held at or below - CORRECT ANSWER - 41°F
Shellfish must be received with - CORRECT ANSWER - the shellfish tags
After shellfish is used up - CORRECT ANSWER - tags must be kept on file for at least 90
days
Milk and milk products must be pasteurized with sell-by dates of - CORRECT ANSWER -
9 days
, Milk and milk products must be ultra-pasteurized with sell-by dates of - CORRECT
ANSWER - 45 days
All fruits and vegetables served raw must be - CORRECT ANSWER - thoroughly washed
before being served.
Canned products must be rejected if there are - CORRECT ANSWER - Dents at the seam,
swelling, severe rust, leakage or no label. . (exception: slight dent on the body of the can)
Home canned foods - CORRECT ANSWER - are unacceptable types of canning
All commercial modified atmosphere packaged foods - CORRECT ANSWER - type of
packaged food that must be used per manufacture specifications
Vacuum Packaging of any food product in a retail food establishment - CORRECT
ANSWER - Prohibited by law unless special authorization is obtained through the
Department of Health
The acronym FIFO means - CORRECT ANSWER - First In First Out
The first step in implementing FIFO is to - CORRECT ANSWER - date the products is the
is the first step
How far off the floor must all food items must be stored? - CORRECT ANSWER - 6" or
more
In order to prevent cross-contamination, raw foods in a refrigerator must be stored - CORRECT
ANSWER - below cooked foods
Cold temperatures - CORRECT ANSWER - slow down the growth of microorganisms
UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions and
CORRECT Answers
All food service establishments must have - CORRECT ANSWER - a current and valid
permit issued by the NYC Health Department
When do Health Inspectors have the right to inspect a food service or food processing
establishment? - CORRECT ANSWER - as long as it is in operation
During an inspection, inspectors must be given access to - CORRECT ANSWER - all
areas of the food establishment
Who is required to have a Food Protection Certificate. - CORRECT ANSWER -
supervisors of all food service establishments
Food is defined as - CORRECT ANSWER - any edible substance, ice, beverage, or
ingredient intended for use and used or sold for human consumption.
Potentially Hazardous Food (PHF) refers to? - CORRECT ANSWER - Foods which
support rapid growth of microorganisms.
Examples of Potentially Hazardous Foods - CORRECT ANSWER - Examples: raw and
cooked meats, poultry, milk and milk products, fish, shellfish, tofu, cooked rice, pasta, beans,
potatoes, cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes and melons, garlic in oil etc. (Exceptions: Air-cooled
hard-boiled eggs with intact shell, beef jerky, cheese pizza, crispy bacon)
Not Potentially Hazardous prepared Foods - CORRECT ANSWER - Air-cooled hard-
boiled eggs with intact shell, beef jerky, cheese pizza, crispy bacon
,The Temperature Danger Zone - CORRECT ANSWER - 41°F and 140°F.
The three thermometers allowed to be used for measuring food temperatures: - CORRECT
ANSWER - Examples: Bi-metallic stem (range from 0°F to 220°F), thermocouple, and
thermistor (digital)
Glass Thermometers - CORRECT ANSWER - Kind of thermometer which are prohibited
by law in a food establishment.
Meat inspected by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture must have what? - CORRECT
ANSWER - must have a USDA inspection stamp.
Raw shell eggs must be stored at a minimum temperature of - CORRECT ANSWER -
45°F
Smoked fish must be held at - CORRECT ANSWER - 38°F or below
Smoked fish held above what temperature causes the growth of which kind of bacteria -
CORRECT ANSWER - 38°F causes growth of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.
All refrigerated food must be held at or below - CORRECT ANSWER - 41°F
Shellfish must be received with - CORRECT ANSWER - the shellfish tags
After shellfish is used up - CORRECT ANSWER - tags must be kept on file for at least 90
days
Milk and milk products must be pasteurized with sell-by dates of - CORRECT ANSWER -
9 days
, Milk and milk products must be ultra-pasteurized with sell-by dates of - CORRECT
ANSWER - 45 days
All fruits and vegetables served raw must be - CORRECT ANSWER - thoroughly washed
before being served.
Canned products must be rejected if there are - CORRECT ANSWER - Dents at the seam,
swelling, severe rust, leakage or no label. . (exception: slight dent on the body of the can)
Home canned foods - CORRECT ANSWER - are unacceptable types of canning
All commercial modified atmosphere packaged foods - CORRECT ANSWER - type of
packaged food that must be used per manufacture specifications
Vacuum Packaging of any food product in a retail food establishment - CORRECT
ANSWER - Prohibited by law unless special authorization is obtained through the
Department of Health
The acronym FIFO means - CORRECT ANSWER - First In First Out
The first step in implementing FIFO is to - CORRECT ANSWER - date the products is the
is the first step
How far off the floor must all food items must be stored? - CORRECT ANSWER - 6" or
more
In order to prevent cross-contamination, raw foods in a refrigerator must be stored - CORRECT
ANSWER - below cooked foods
Cold temperatures - CORRECT ANSWER - slow down the growth of microorganisms
